Science is boring, or at least that’s what most kids nowadays tend to think. Part of the problem with this statement is that science is the only field that can help us understand how the world works. Often times, children will lack any interest or passions when it comes to studying it, and usually, it comes from the fact that the teachers they have are unable to help them grow keen on their subjects.

Even one of the most user-friendly science fields, such as biology, can raise all sorts of difficulties to a child who hasn’t been exposed to a good deal of information. However, there are some methods that parents can utilize to get their kids to develop an interest in various fields. Of course, doing so with physics or maths might be a bit challenging, especially as these two do not rely heavily on analyzing the world.

Look for free documentaries online or on TV

One of the best ways to teach science to children is by explaining it visually. Using their photographic memory is far more enjoyable than relying on their skills, with the help of which they have to learn everything by heart.

Depending on the subject you want to get your kid keen on, you have a plethora of documentaries and fun video resources to choose from. Some are specialized websites that come with animations with the help of which the child can understand the works of physics, math, and biology.

Others, on the other hand, are extremely visually appealing documentaries such as those made by the BBC channel. David Attenborough is one of the best-known narrators and naturalists in the world, and he has presented dozens, if not hundreds of small and long documentaries on nature.

Get easy-to-read science books

The common belief that science books are tedious and hard to read isn’t far from the truth. In fact, most are made that way, but this is often due to the author’s and editor’s inability to combine excellent writing with scientific information. As the Yahoo Style Guide used to point out some years ago, it is better to write for a younger audience whose vocabulary is somewhat limited than to use pretentious words that not everybody can understand.

If the age of the child allows you to, don’t hesitate to introduce him or her to fun science books even when he or she is very young. Some colorfully drawn characters can act as teachers in these books.

Make use of unusual items

Finally, if you have the budget and availability to purchase some things that can assist you in convincing the kid that science is actually rather interesting, we could suggest some science objects. One would be a user-friendly telescope if you find that the young one is fascinated by astronomy.

Another could be a USB microscope or even a magnifier with the help of which you can perform fire experiments. Just make sure that every idea is acted out safely.

Ensuring that our children stay out of harms way is a daily task of being a parent. However, as they get older and face their own challenges, it can be tough to keep on top of the stresses that life throws at them. One of the toughest times that children and teenagers face is the dreaded exam period. Although this is naturally a very stressful time, there are a few things that you can do to make the journey as calm as possible.

Sleep

It can be tempting to skip the sleep routine in order to get a few extra hours of revision in. However, this is not beneficial in the long run and your children will just end up exhausted, lacking in concentration, and forgetting what they tried to learn. Good sleep improves thinking and is extremely important for development. Give your child 30 minutes to wind down before going to bed, allowing them to take their mind off studying and gadgets. 8-10 hours of sleep per night will help your child remain settled and positive about exams.

Talk It Out

Bottling emotions up is a dangerous game; we all know this. Remind your child that the worry and stress they are feeling is completely natural. Comfort them and let them know that you are there for them. If anxiety seems to be taking over, allow them to take a step back and practice exercises that distract them for a while. Talking about worries acts as great therapy for everyone involved!

Maintain Healthy Diet

Comfort foods can be extremely appealing throughout exam periods. However, a balanced diet is important for your child’s health and will keep them upbeat and healthy through this tough time. Unhealthy foods can lead to mood swings or hyperactivity, which is the last thing anyone will want when sitting in that terrifying exam hall.

As well as healthy eating, encourage a regular exercise routine to help boost energy levels, relieve stress, and clear the mind. Teamwork activities are particularly beneficial as it will allow your child to socialize with kids who share the same passions.

Relax

This ones for you, yes, you! If you are showing signs of stress, then the pressure is going to pile on and your child will feel more anxious than ever before! Be sure to maintain a calm environment at all times, so your home can be a worry-free zone. Be optimistic and reassuring and your good vibes will soon rub off on your child.

Look Out For Signs

At the end of the day, there is only so much you can do to make the exam period as relaxed as possible. If your child is displaying the following signs, it might be time to consider getting some extra help:

Recurring headaches and stomach pains

Losing interest in food or eating more than normal

Constant negativity

Seeming hopeless about the future

Unfortunately, once the exams are over, the worry may not vanish. Until that results in the envelope is open, your child may still remain a bit irritable. Check out this article provided by Cognita Schools, which gives you helpful advice on what to do if your child does not achieve their desired results.

It’s hard to find many kids that are excited about doing their homework. Your job as a parent, is to help your kids in as many ways as you can. If your child hates doing homework, maybe you can work your magic and help them get excited about it. While it’s not fun being at school all day and then coming home to do homework, you can use these tips to get your kids excited about homework.

Put a Rewards Chart in Place

One thing that works for most kids is setting up a rewards chart for them. If they don’t forget to do their homework for a whole week, then they get some sort of reward. Of course, this is just a suggestion, but you can come up with something that works for your kids.

Have a Yummy Snack Ready

Who doesn’t get motivated by food? When the kids walk in the door, have them do their homework first thing to get it over with, and have a yummy snack ready for them. There are so many fun and healthy snacks floating around that you can make. You can also keep it simple by laying out fruits and veggies. Choose a snack that your kids will love and this is sure to get them excited about homework.

Create a Homework “Space” for Your Kids

It’s always fun to have a comfortable space to be able to do homework; your kids will enjoy this. You can set up bean bag chairs or a table and chairs. Make it colorful and inviting, so your kids will love doing their homework in their own space. If you want, your kids can even help you design and create their individual work space.

Pick Out Appropriate Music

Some kids do not do well with background music, but others do. If your child is one that enjoys music, while doing homework, have a lineup of tunes that they’ll enjoy. Listening to music can make homework fun because it gives them something to look forward to as they do their work. Allow this space to be somewhere they feel comfortable and are able to freely express themselves. Creativity is always a good thing for a child to express. Maybe an art wall is an excellent idea? The options are endless!

Don’t Get Frustrated

A major way to make homework not fun for your kids would be to get upset or frustrated with it often. You want your kids to get excited about learning, and one way to do this is to be positive and not negative. Make homework time an exciting, positive, and creative time.

When it comes to getting kids excited about their homework, what tips would you add?

Most kids are back in school from being out for a couple of weeks. It’s now mid-year, and some kids have lost their motivation for school. For some of them, they looked forward to winter break all year, and now they don’t have much to keep them motivated. If your kids are in a mid-year school slump, check out these tips to get them out.

How to Get Your Kids Past the Mid-Year School Slump

#1. Make Goals Together

Every kid has the potential to improve, even if it’s in a small way. Sit down with your kids and help them make goals. What kind of grades would they like to have by the end of the year? Where would they like to be at with their character? Making goals together can help any kid get past the mid-year school slump.

#2. Show Some Excitement

One thing we’ve noticed around here is that our attitude rubs off on our kids, good or bad. Which is why we try to get excited about school, especially in the morning. Luckily, our kids love to learn, so it’s not as big of a deal to get them excited. However, if your kids are struggling with being exited, perhaps you can be that life source for them.

#3. Plan a Trip

Another thing that can get kids past the mid-year school slump is by planning a trip. It doesn’t need to be anything extravagant, but sometimes kids just need something to look forward to. Plan a trip to your local zoo or amusement park. You can use this as an incentive to help your kids focus on school now, so you can have fun later.

#4. Don’t Stress

School can come with stress, but on top of that, parents can add more stress onto their kids. Try not to stress your child out by putting unnecessary expectations on them. Stress isn’t fun for anyone, and it can drag a kid down quick. A tip would be to talk to your child in a civil tone when issues arrive. Less stress can help them feel excited about the rest of the school year. Think about how you feel when you’re stressed as an adult, it’s no fun!

#5. Get Involved

Sometimes kids don’t want to go back to school because they aren’t fond of their teachers or there may be a situation with another child. One thing that I’ve found is that by being involved, my kids feel more excited about school. I know what’s going on at school, which helps take a burden off their shoulders. Another way to get involved is by going to eat lunch with your kiddo at school or even picking them up afterschool for an evening of fun. Getting involved with your child can bring any kid out of a mid-year school slump.

Getting through that mid-year slump is so important. Your child still has 4-5 months of school left, and they can’t lose momentum now! What tips do you have for getting your kids past the mid-year school slump?

Thereviewer has been compensated in the form of a Best Buy Gift Card and/or received the product/service at a reduced price or for free.

My son was a born gamer! He has had every game console that has come out since he was just four years old. Now that he is in high school, he is actually taking classes for graphic design and programing. His ultimate goal is to have a career in gaming. Which also means that he needs a computer that is powerful, and the one he has now isn’t cutting it! So, of course that means we are in the market for a high-powered computer that can provide everything he needs while being able to provide exceptional gaming and entertainment experience! He has sent me a few that he loves but the truth is the ones he wants is not in my budget right now! The truth is we upgrade our computers and laptops frequently so I would rather wait until he goes off to college before I spend the amount of money on the gaming computer that he really wants.

So, when I heard about the AMD FX APU – HP Envy Touchsmart Laptop, I ask him to check it out to see if it could tie him over for now. This laptop provides extreme performance of AMD’s most powerful mobile processer, which can deliver exceptional gaming, and entertainment experiences that we are looking for! However, since I admit I really don’t know much about gaming computers, I wanted to get his take on it first. I was actually shocked that he felt it was a good fit! He started getting technical and trying to explain things to me, but hey; I had no clue what any of it meant! So I had to make him stop and break in down in terms that I understand! He said that it had a good graphic card, Speakers, memory, hard drive, and it delivers fast speed so his games wouldn’t lag like they do on his current computer. He also said that for the price, it was a great fit! Talk about WIN-WIN! Something that he approves of, and it’s in my budget!

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